Summary

Belknap (Slavic languages, Columbia U.) traces Dostoevsky's last, great novel to its sources, exploring how the author consciously transformed his experience and his readings to construct the work. It is both a lucid analysis of a complex and difficult text and an inquiry into the process of literary creation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Choice Review

Challenging the belief that there is little new to say about the great works of literature such as The Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky's and perhaps world literature's greatest novel, Belknap has written a unique, thought-provoking study proving that great literature is never finite, but constantly open to new ideas and interpretations. Sometimes Belknap uses traditional techniques of comparative analysis for showing sources that influenced Dostoevsky; at other times he delves into the theoretical as in his chapter on the theme of memory and how it relates to Dostoevsky. At times the author deals with specifics--e.g., "The Orgins of a Single Paragraph Reveal the Unconscious Transformations that Shape Alesha Karamazov"; at times he generalizes--e.g., "Dostoevsky's Attitudes Shaped the Attitudes of His Characters and His Readers." A creative and, for the most part convincing study of a literary giant by a well-known Slavic scholar. Highly recommended for the serious student of Russian literature. E. Yarwood Eastern Washington University